Time Heals All Wounds
by DemacianSentry
Summary: In our lives we face so much strife. We always feel like we have to fight for what we want most, and most often the things we want most are always worth fighting for. One comfort we always find is the truth that we are never alone in our fight. And if we try to let others help our wounds heal, we find that our love for someone is the best medicine for our souls. Rated M for reality
1. Just in Time

**Chapter 1: Just in Time**

_South of The Ironspike Mountains and North of The Institute of War._

"Faster men, faster!" A man screamed out as he and four others were chasing an injured woman across an open field.

The woman running was dashing as much as she could, but each time she did a little blood would spurt out of her wounds. Her right arm clutched her stomach, that wound was her worst. While her left arm dragged a jagged sword, that looked too big for her to carry. If the blood wasn't a good enough trail to follow the drag marks from her weapon definitely were.

On the far end of the field, in the direction she was running; sat a figure in the trees who had just noticed what was happening. This figure had wrapped itself in the tree branches to see who was yelling. Looking out in the field it saw the woman running and the men chasing her. The woman wore some pieces of armor, had bright-white hair, and looked as if she was already wearing bandages.

It was obvious to the figure, and the woman, that these men were gaining ground fast. She turned around to face them. With the jagged sword held up in her left hand she tried to get both hands to hold it, but the hand that was holding her stomach wound didn't reach the sword's hilt. Because as she let go of her stomach wound; much more blood began to pour out. So before she could put herself in a proper stance; blood loss took her into shock and she collapsed onto the ground.

The figure in the trees noticed her pass out and decided to take her side in this fight. Its flesh was a dark green, but then it changed instantly to dark purple. As the men closed in to deliver a killing blow, it stretched its form back on the tree branches and over to a neighboring tree, waited until it reached its fullest tension and launched its mass through the air at the men.

Halfway through its flight, the five men down below noticed it coming and ran around aimlessly; trying to figure out where not to be and where the mass will fall down. The mass fell down on top of the man who had been rallying his men. As the mass hit him it hardened parts of its body to inflict damage on the man. The leader crumpled to the ground; massive internal damage had caused him to die upon impact.

Then the mass exploded outwards; streams of its gooey fleshed latched onto each man and pulled them back inwards as it recoiled. Before they had been forcibly collapsed into where the mass had exploded from, it bounced up into the air so the four men could knock into each other's heads. The force they all took made their collective vision and motor skills malfunction. When the mass came back down between them it exploded once more. One line of gooey flesh hit each man. The mass had hardened the ends of each strike so when each man was struck in the face, they felt as if someone had slingshot a brick into their heads. At that point they all collapsed simultaneously.

Once the mass was certain they were all down for good, it turned back to a dark green color and started collecting them into a pile. Once they were all bunched up, including their dead leader, it anchored them and part of itself to the ground as it walked backwards towards the line of trees the men had chased the woman through. When it was at it's limit it launched the five of them high into the air, over itself, and out towards the tree line. As the men sailed through the air, some of them regained conscious mid-flight. Screams could be heard as two of them struck the base of one tree, one broke through many thick branches above them, and the dead leader and another man hit the plain ground and skidded to a complete stop.

The mass didn't even look over it's, uh, shoulder? To make sure they were dead. It ran on, uh, legs? Over to the woman and started checking out the many wounds she had. It must have had some skill in medicine, because it started dividing parts of its body onto her wounds to close them up. Dark green patches covered her body, and the gooey mass began to collect around her to prop up her feet and rest her head on its gooey flesh.

While still holding her, gently, the mass started to send streams of itself out to 'harvest' the grass around it. The 'harvested' grass changed into a green liquid and course through the mass to culminate at a spout it had formed above the woman's head. It poured the green liquid into her mouth.

She swallowed and opened her eyes. "WHAT THE FUCK?!" She screamed out and then coughed up a mix of blood and green liquid.

The gooey mass, uh, spoke? To her saying, "It's alright. I got you. You're okay."

"Uh, no, I'm definitely not okay!" The woman forced herself up in one quick flash and turned around, jagged sword in hand, to face the gooey mass with a proper stance. One that she realized was meant for fighting men and monsters, not whatever this thing was.

The mass spoke again, "I don't mean you any harm. You were in trouble, and you were injured. I was only trying to help."

The woman looked down to see all of her wounds were covered in many patches of near-solid dark green ooze. She started to panic, breathing in deep, hard and fast, and exhaling in the same way. Her breath started to make loud heaving sounds. She dropped her jagged sword and started to grab at the gooey patches in an attempt to get them off. "NO, NO! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!"

The gooey mass was now worried for the woman and it leaped over to completely embrace the woman inside itself. Its 'face' looked to make sure her head was the only thing not wrapped in its gooey flesh. "Calm down; you're going to open your wounds!"

The woman's limbs slowly struggled inside the gooey mass. She was getting more and more scared by the second. "PLEASE, DON'T! I DON'T WANT TO DIE LIKE THIS! LET ME FIGHT! FIGHT ME! GIVE ME A CHANCE TO FIGHT! I DON'T WANT TO MELT AWAY! LET ME FIGHT! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME LIKE THIS! PLEASE!" The woman began to sob. She was lost in her fear, which she couldn't ever remember having in the past. She had always been fearless, but this thing had somehow brought fright into her heart.

The gooey mass realized it needed to think of a way to calm her down, but couldn't, so it settled for, "I am not going to kill you. I am only trying to help."

"NO STOP! DON'T KILL ME LIKE THIS! PLE-E-EASE LET ME FIGHT! D-DON'T KILL ME LIKE T-TH-THIS! IT BURNS! LET ME GO-O-O!" She continued to scream and struggle inside the gooey mass.

The mass could feel her start to shudder inside its gooey flesh and was confused, "What burns?! Tell me and I can help!"

The woman stopped struggling to realize that her flesh wasn't melting; as she had thought it surely would. In fact, for the first time in her life, she felt real comfort inside this gooey mass. "You're not melting me. Why?"

"I don't melt people." The mass replied.

This crazed woman had finally realized that she wasn't dying, from the mass, she wasn't burning and her life wasn't in any immediate danger. "What do you want from me?" She asked.

The mass responded, "To help you. You need time to let your wounds heal, and you need nutrients to help you do so."

Allowing herself to calm down, the woman could feel her senses start to return. She could taste the metal in her blood as well as a sweet taste that blood doesn't have. She spat out what was in her mouth and amongst the blood that came out she saw dark green fluid as well. "Did you feed me that stuff?"

"Yes," the mass exclaimed, "its just nutrients for your body."

She closed her eyes and asked coldly, "Are you from Zaun?"

The mass was perplexed at why she would ask this, but replied honestly. "Well…originally yes; but not at this moment. I am a free man."

"A man?" The woman asked, confused. "Have you ever seen a mirror?"

This only made the gooey mass chuckle, "Well yes. I am not a man in the typical sense; but I was raised by my parents to be a man. So I call myself a man. The name is Zac, by the way. What's your name?"

"Riven." She struggled to free herself again. "If you're not working with Zaun, would you mind releasing me?"

"That depends; are you going to try and remove the patches on your wounds?" Zac asked.

"Yes." Riven replied.

"Well then the answer is no." Zac stated. "So unless you want to get very painful stitches, especially on that stomach wound, I can't let you go until your wounds have healed. Also, for the life of me I have no needles or thread. Sorry, but letting you loose to remove the patches would be very hypocritical of my overall intent. Just try to relax while your wounds heal. If you're hungry or thirsty I'll feed you more nutrients."

Riven snarled, "So I'm your prisoner now?"

"If that helps you feel better, than yes; just until your wounds heal. Ugh, look," Zac shifted his body to let Riven look out at the field she had run across earlier, "most of that is from you."

Riven opened her eyes wide to see a trail of blood on the grass leading from the tree line to where they were. All that blood, which soaked the ground, was hers, and she had just realized how close to death she had actually come. "Most of it?" She asked curiously.

Zac's 'face' contorted a little as he replied, "Well any of it that isn't yours, belongs to those men who were chasing you. Who were they by the way?"

"Noxus men, no not men, I knew men of Noxus once; those five were Noxus scum." Riven replied through gritted teeth.

"So," Zac paused to put emphasis on his next question, "you're from Noxus, eh?"

Riven turned herself around to face Zac's 'face.' The gooey mass let her do it without restraint; she wasn't trying to escape so he wasn't holding her back. "I was from Noxus at a time when it was pure. But that time is gone now and its leaders are corrupted with a need to slaughter the innocent."

"I'm sorry." Zac said.

Riven looked confused, "What are you sorry about. I am still Noxian; a pure Noxian."

"Well alright then, tell me more please?" Zac said with a 'smile' on his 'face.'

Riven squinted her eyes, "You'll forgive me if I don't feel like talking while I am trapped inside of you?"

Zac shrugged, something shoulders-like, and replied, "We have plenty of time while you heal. Enlighten me on your past."

"I'd rather not."

"Okay, what if I told you something about my past, and then you tell me something about yours. I promise it will help pass the time you need to heal up." Zac said to compromise with the white-haired woman stuck within him.

Riven sighed. She wanted to be free more than anything, but she knew she was too weak to force her way out. Not that she couldn't at full strength, but it seemed pointless right now anyways. So she settled for, "Okay, but no promises."

Zac smiled, "I'll take it."


	2. Zaun Amorphous Combatant

**Chapter 2: Zaun Amorphous Combatant**

_South of The Ironspike Mountains and North of The Institute of War._

"Comfy?" Zac asked.

Riven shifted a little inside the gooey mass. "Surprisingly…yes."

Zac smiled. "Good, now let's see. How about my birth? Is that a good place to start?"

"Who or what birthed you?" Riven asked with a curious tone.

Zac sighed, "Fine, we shall call it my creation. Is that better?"

"Yeah, go ahead. But first, I'm a little thirsty."

Zac 'harvested' some more grass and put a spout near Riven's mouth. "Just suck here when you're thirsty. I need to concentrate my cells to remember my past."

"I'm not going to suck on a part of you!" Riven exclaimed with shock.

"Ugh, fine just stick out your tongue when you're thirsty. I need to concentrate." Zac began to show a face contorted in strenuous activity. "Alright I got the memories up and ready. Are you set?"

_Lap-Lap-Lap_

Riven drank some green liquid and said. "Shoot."

Zac got serious for his story. "Pay attention, because I would rather not repeat myself."

_Ten years ago. Zaun. Military Lab Compund. Hexchem Division._

I don't remember all of it, but I do remember how my parents explained to me what happened.

The Department Head had just come into the Hexchem Division, led by my parents and monitored by another scientist named Dr. Parson. But Dr. Parson was only in charge of reporting to the Department Head on my parent's progress. Zaunites are not the most trusting people.

As the Department Head reached my parents he exclaimed, "Doctors Jay and Leticia Phyleus, how goes the work on the new organic fuel source?"

"Wonderful!" My mother responded. "We are letting it ferment as we speak."

"Once it's ready, we will put it in the isolation chamber to begin our tests." My father added.

The Department Head looked pleased. "Splendid. Oh, you two are and always have been the greatest assets to Zaun. I don't know what we'd do without you?"

My father huffed, "I don't think he would agree." He said as he pointed up to a glass window one story up in the lab. Whenever Dr. Parson monitored them it was done from up there. However, today he wasn't, and it always seemed to put my mother and father at ease when Dr. Parson was absent. My parents said it had something to do with 'being able to use their free time more productively' then they would both glance at one another and smile when they said that. I never got a straight answer as to why, but whatever.

Anyways, when the Department Head finally said all his normal things and asked all his normal questions, he signed off on their work from the day and left them alone. A few minutes after he left the fuel was ready for testing. My mother and father worked well together, so the painstaking task of transporting dangerous chemicals around was no problem to them. They loaded up the isolation chamber and primed the tests for the fuel.

Now the clear liquid was ready to test inside the isolation chamber. The first thing they tried was to freeze it, and it froze at 273 K. Disappointing because it was the same temperature when water would freeze. Then they applied heat and it was beginning to boil and started to ignite at 373 K which didn't help their needs to make a proper combustible fuel. Now they needed Dr. Parson's permission to use the 'specialized radiation' on the fuel. This radiation didn't act like radiation. In fact my parents were convinced it wasn't radiation at all, but their job wasn't to go snooping so they would just have to accept it.

They couldn't reach him, so they decided to flip a coin. It came up heads and they went for it. Starting off low, they gradually brought the exposure up to three hundred rads. Again, rad was a relative term because there was no proof it was actually radiation. So whatever measurement would actually be necessary must have been beyond the scope of Zaun scientists. Despite the fuels reaction to temperatures being similar to that of water, the rads had no effect. My mother then convinced my father to increase it to six hundred rads, but still no effect. It made no sense; the fuel should have been destroyed by now. Risking backlash from the Department head they increased the rads to two thousand, believing the fuel should definitely be destroyed. Still no change; they were baffled and were scared to actually record all of what was happening. They couldn't figure out what they had created, even after going back over their notes.

The scale maxed out at ten thousand rads. My mother said, "Just hold my hand and do it."

My father nodded and started to crank up the inside of the chamber to ten thousand rads. Any more and the chamber couldn't keep it isolated. Both my parents were in shock. This was impossible. They wanted to turn it back down and check on the fuel, but because there was no change they decided to just let it keep going at ten thousand rads. For seven hours into the night they monitored the fuel; doing 'stuff' as they called it, in the meantime. When they were finally ready to stop, something amazing happened. The fuel turned dark green and started to get viscous.

[ "That was you?!" Riven exclaimed.

Zac formed his face to stare coldly at Riven.

Riven pursed a smile like she was all innocent and said, "Sorry, please continue?" ]

They didn't know what 'it' was. [ Zac continued staring coldly at Riven. ] But they had a hunch it was a new chemical that could act like fuel. After waiting an hour for the rads to dissipate they removed the fuel from the isolation chamber to get a good look at it.

It was gooey and held together, even out of the beaker. They were cautious not to touch it without gloves, but what they realized was that it had started to devour all the material it would touch. The beaker had marks, the table had marks, and their gloves had marks, of material torn away. The gooey mass seemed to grow as it destroyed matter around it.

"STOP!" My father called out; only afterwards did he realize the folly of his words. This thing couldn't hear him. Or could it? When he yelled for it to stop, it had done just that.

My parents looked at one another. Then my mother said, "Can you understand us?"

The gooey mass formed a solid yellow dot that faced them. It was at that moment that they had realized their new fuel source was actually a living amorphous blob.

[ "So, that was you?!" Riven cut in to ask again.

Again, Zac stared coldly at Riven. ]

My parents immediately started to record their findings. They were astonished by how this thing grew and interacted with them. They decided to just bite the bullet, and called Dr. Parson in to see what they had done.

"Hmmm…" Dr. Parson exclaimed. "Can it be used as a weapon?"

My parents locked eyes and my father replied, "That's your first question. Not how is it alive? Or why it grows by consuming matter?"

Dr. Parson sighed, "I can see those things well enough. I am interested to know if it can be made into a weapon."

"But it's alive." My mother stated. "Isn't that the bigger question?"

Dr. Parson stared at the gooey mass and said, "I know why it is alive. I monitored your actions from my office last night."

Now my parents were confused. My father exclaimed, "If you saw everything we saw, then how does that explain why it has life?"

"You don't need to concern yourself with the how. Just find me a way to make this thing into a weapon. That will be all." At that Dr. Parson left them, in horrible confusion, and made his way out of my parent's lab.

My parents stared at one another. "Do you think it was the 'specialized radiation' we used?" My mother asked.

"It had to be. Nothing else was tried." My father replied.

They had their suspicions, but they knew they couldn't act on them. So they let it go and refocused their attention on the gooey, dark green mass on the table. They were still in shock about what happened, but were far more preoccupied with how the gooey mass was able to understand conscious orders.

Over the next few weeks my parents ran experiments on the gooey mass in which Dr. Parson gave the title, _Zaun Amorphous Combatant_. They didn't want to refer to the creature in such a cruel way so they called it _ZAC_.

[ Riven looked like she was going to burst it out.

So Zac said, "Ugh, yes that's me."

Riven smiled. ]

Whenever my parents spoke to 'me' I would expand out to show an eye, and after awhile some limbs. I was just a small blob, trying to mimic their human form, but I was struggling. When they would sing to me; especially my mother, my father was monotone and horrible; I would bounce up and down. I however, can't remember this far back.

Aside from the playful experiments, I would undergo tests in low and high temperatures. Both of which would deliver very little effect. My parents feared I would make a great weapon. Especially when they had me test hitting dummies. Streams of goo flowed out from my body and would harden on impact to knock the dummies back against the wall. These dummies were bolted to the floor. In their reports; that I read on their table as they would sing to me; they would write down the huge amounts of kinetic energy that I would create from practically nowhere. They gave me so much praise, despite the fact that all my greater abilities would be very useful if I was made into a weapon.

The first memory I actually have is about the night everything changed. After one of my tests in the isolation chamber went wrong; where I, in anger, burst my way out of it, my parents were instructed to lock me away for the night. Once inside my cage, I cowered in the corner, hoping they wouldn't leave me for too long. They had put me inside the cage without a single song. I felt angst for the first time in my life. It was very unpleasant.

My parents saw me and explained it to me like this: _We saw __**our**__ creation, shivering with despair in his __**cage**__. That's when we realized that we caged a creature we had started to love so much. It was too much for us to see you in there son. So we decided that you deserve a better life._

That night, my parents snuck back into the lab. They grabbed a sealable storage container large enough to house me and placed me inside. My mother told me to just wait silently until she opened it up again. I don't remember what happened, but after they told me later, everything I can remember made sense. They put me in what's referred to as "The Daily Flush' and left me there to await being 'flushed' out through miles of twisting pipes to the Zaun Harbor. Once there they got me out of the container and made their way out of Zaun, forever.

[ "Wow!" Riven exclaimed.

"Wow what?" Zac asked.

"Your parents," Riven was trying to keep her emotions in check, and doing pretty well at it, "they were so loving."

Zac smiled. "They still are."

"I can see that they really loved you. So noble of them to risk their stable lives, just for your freedom." Riven said closing her eyes. "That's what real parents are."

Zac kept smiling. "Yep, now it's your turn." ]


	3. Strong

**Chapter 3: Strong**

_South of The Ironspike Mountains and North of The Institute of War._

_Lap-Lap-Lap_

Riven was starting to love the taste of Zac's nutrient juice.

"Come on Riven. It's your turn." Zac exclaimed.

Riven stopped drinking to look away from him. "I know I said I would, but I'd really rather not."

"Hey, we had a deal, remember?" Zac pointed out.

Riven became defensive. "I never agreed to be trapped within you!"

Zac could see she needed a little goading. "Come on, you can't have always been so strong."

"I have always been strong!" Riven roared.

Zac smiled. "Then tell me about it."

Riven really didn't want to, but she felt like Zac was just trying to be nice, so she conceded. "Okay, but you can't interrupt me."

"Oh, so you can interrupt me, but I can't do it back?" Zac retorted.

"Look, I'm sorry I did, but you can't or I'll stop the story and never say a word to you again!" Riven sounded serious.

Zac was just pleased to get her to open up. "Agreed, I will let you speak uninterrupted."

"Also it won't be nearly as beautiful as your story was." Riven added.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and as I behold you, let me say you are quite beautiful." Zac replied with a grin.

Riven's face starts to burn with embarrassment. "What?! Take that back!"

Zac smiled wider. "Nope, ain't happening. Might as well just start your story."

Riven sighed, fighting her embarrassment, "Okay, here it goes. Remember, not one word." Zac vanished his mouth to show her he was silent.

_Many years ago. Noxus. Military Training Grounds._

"Line up dirt!" That's what our drill instructor, Draneor, called us before we were soldiers. At the time we were as worthless as the dirt one walked on. We were not soldiers yet.

I was the youngest of the bunch. There is no minimum age to tryout for the Noxian military, but most did it when they were sixteen. I was eight.

Once we were all in lines Draneor shouted, "So, you think you have what it takes to be a soldier of Noxus. We will see about that. Each one of you will face your fears, and if you cannot overcome them, then you shall not be strong enough to prevail. Only the strong will prevail!"

Everyone replied, "Only the strong will prevail!"

It was the Noxian way; it is still the pure Noxian way.

Draneor noticed me first. Normally to prove your strength in Noxus you would match strength against someone strong. So to everyone else, his actions were strange. He said to me, "Why are you here, dirt?"

"Only the strong will prevail!" I replied. "I am strong!"

The rest of the dirt laughed at me. I was un-phased, Draneor was the same. "Those who laugh, do so to hide their fear!" Then he turned to me again. "We shall find what you all fear most, and drive it from your hearts. Because if we can't; then none of you shall ever prevail!"

Everyone was silent again.

"Fauss! Hand out the long swords and shields!" Draneor called to his assistant, who did so at once."

I…I…I couldn't [ Riven looked at Zac for signs of input, but Zac had none he wished to give. ] hold both of them at once, so I dropped the shield and held up the long sword.

Draneor dove on me with his disappointed demeanor. "Pick up that shield dirt! You will need it to fight!"

"I can't!" I replied.

Draneor never looked angry, only ever so serious. "Can't or won't?!"

I looked into his eyes, holding up my sword with one hand. "Won't!"

Draneor stood straight up and smiled. "Have it your way! Everyone partner up! I want to separate the wheat from the chaff!"

Everyone found a partner to spar with, but it soon became clear we were not going to spar.

Draneor spoke loud enough for all to hear. "I can only train the strong, if your weak then leave now and never return! Fight your partner to the death with any skills you have today! We shall see who among you is strong enough to prevail! Only the strong will prevail!"

All of us replied, "Only the strong will prevail!"

Then it began. As we fought Draneor called out, "I know there are many fights around you, but you must focus on your own! Focus is essential. A lot happens in the chaos of battle, but you can only accomplish one thing at a time!"

My opponent must have thought I'd be any easy win, because he charged me with his shield down low to knock me down. I side-stepped and he fell over forward. I paused to wait for him to get up and Draneor called out, "Never hesitate! Never let their weakness be your own! You must always rely on your strength! Strength of will! Strength of character! Strength of perception! Never share in an enemy's weakness!"

Realizing that he may have meant me I charged my long sword forward, into the back of the dirt I was fighting, and out through his heart, to the hilt. Then I pulled it out and felt his blood splash back on my face. I had killed my enemy, and I was now the strong.

When it was all over, only half of us remained, of course. We got back in lines as Draneor and Fauss looked us over.

Fauss said, "They are all strong. And they have prevailed."

"Yes they have." Draneor agreed. "Alright dirt! You are now weapons of Noxus, and we shall sharpen you all to be soldiers soon! Hit the bunks and be ready for tomorrow!"

That night in the bunk houses we started to chat about what we expected. If the rumors about more 'sparing' were true then we didn't expect any friendships to last. So we kept our distance to each other, while we talked about what could happen tomorrow.

An hour before sunup we were forced from our beds. Some other soldiers were ordered to get us up and out of bed, while Draneor and Fauss supervised. They pulled us outside in the grueling cold and got us started. They told us this is how we shall run everyday of our lives until we are fit for our test to move on.

First we did one hundred push-ups, then fifty sit-ups, then more push-ups and more sit-ups. We did four sets of each until we were spent. Then they got us on our feet and we ran, not jogged, we ran, ten kilometers. Afterwards we had breakfast. It was harsh because after our unexpected morning workout, we couldn't keep much down for long. I was smart though. I had a swig of milk and a chunk of bread. I never vomited. Others ate whole meals and spent their day spewing chunks as we continued with more runs. We were ordered to never halt, unless we had decided to quit. I couldn't imagine how some of the others were puking in full stride. Ick! Many of those who weren't puking, including myself, ran ahead of the splash zones.

At lunch I hate the same thing, but added a small slice of meat for protein. I was glad I had it; my muscles burned during the afternoon. Mostly because in the afternoon they dressed us in full armor and had us carry our weapons, at the ready. I could feel my muscles begging me to stop as we ran in our gear another ten kilometers before dinner.

When it was time for dinner we were seated and given the same meals on trays. Then we were ordered to offer our food to actual soldiers. It was honorable to have a soldier take food from you. It meant they felt you were strong. Those who had no food taken were given the disgrace of being so weak. As I offered my plate to a passing soldier he laughed at me, pointing at me so the others could see me; so young and frail. Then he took my whole tray of food away. I felt joy for the honor he showed me. I don't know his name, but I will never forget his face.

[ Riven noticed Zac fighting back a formation of lips. "Ugh, fine! What is it?"

Zac was pleased to speak. "It sounds like you would have ended up marrying this man!"

Riven's eyes went wide, then they showed anger. "Just stay quiet and let me finish my story!"

Zac nodded and his mouth was gone once more. ]

My empty stomach made me feel strong as we spent the time after dinner doing actual sparing, instead of killing one another. I was the only one amongst my group to have eaten nothing. I was the strongest, and the others could tell.

As each day went by it was the same thing. In the early morning we would workout hard. Then breakfast would come and those who had been foolish enough to eat a lot, had started copying me.

As the days went on Draneor could see my progress. "Very good work, weapon! You will make a fine leader, if you ever make it as a soldier!"

But jealousy was also brewing amongst the men. I never ate a single dinner in training; that same soldier always took all of it.

[ Riven saw Zac's smile starting to reappear. "SHUT UP!" She roared, and then his smile was gone again. ]

I was receiving so much honor and praise that some among our group began to resent me. I could tell that they did as they started to do their own thing and break away from my routine.

After five straight weeks of this, we were ready or more so we had reached the point in which we had to take our final test. It was simple and Draneor was an expert at administering it.

"Everyone line up!" Draneor roared. "Today we are going to give you your final test to become a soldier! The only way a Noxian proves their strength is by defeating an enemy! You will each have one chance to land a single, solid blow on my armor! Is that understood?!"

All, "Sir, yes sir! Only the strong will prevail!"

Being that I had the most honor, I was selected to go first. The least honorable weapon amongst us or at least the one considered the weakest was ordered to be last. His name was Darius. He was considered weak because during dinner he refused to share with the actual soldiers. I guess something within him wouldn't let them steal from him. I will always find his lack of honor as a weakness.

I got equipped with my armor and sword; then struck my sword with Draneor's to start the fight. Through my training I had become faster than the wind. I started off with striking him to get him off guard and then I let in with a glancing blow to his mid-section.

"Thirteen seconds!" Fauss roared.

"Impressive!" Draneor exclaimed. "You are now a soldier of Noxus!"

I was overjoyed but didn't let it show as the others had their fights. Out of all of them, seven got a hit and the rest went home in failure. Then Darius was up next; his weapon of choice was a battleaxe. He started his fight with Draneor and got a blow in. Fauss called out the time, but Darius didn't stop. He kept going. He pushed for a real fight, and Draneor gave it to him. They fought like warriors on the field. Then Darius got Draneor down with a gruesome strike. On the ground Draneor ordered Darius to end it. Darius did, cleaving the man's head clean off. Darius then looked at me and roared, "Only the strong will prevail!"

I roared back, fighting tears for Draneor, "Only the strong will prevail!"


	4. Growing Out

**Chapter 4: Growing Out**

_South of The Ironspike Mountains and North of The Institute of War._

Riven couldn't lock eyes with Zac.

Zac finally broke the tension. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Riven asked. "Draneor made his choice. Don't you dare; feel pity for him or me. He chose to continue the fight."

Zac nodded, or at least he shifted what would be his head, up and down.

Riven exhaled her tension. "How's my wounds?"

Zac took a moment, and then said, "My cells tell me you haven't closed up yet. If they were removed you'd start bleeding again on your first step."

"Aaaahhhh!" Riven let out. "How much longer?"

Zac shrugged his shoulders, yeah shoulders. "Eh, you humans are tricky. But you just need time to heal. You'll be fine in no time. Plus, with the work I'm doing, you won't get scars."

"Scars remind me of my mistakes. Is there a way to keep them?" Riven asked.

Zac looked confused. "Uh, that will take longer to form scars. I'm keeping your wounds in a sterile environment and letting your cells duplicate without impurities."

"UGGGH! I have know idea what your saying. Just talk about something else." Riven exclaimed.

Zac smiled. "Want to know more about me?"

"Yes, please?"

"Same deal as before?"

Riven sighed. "Yes, fine, just talk."

"Okay sit back, and relax." Zac requested of her, with a wider smile.

_Nine Years Ago. Outskirts of Southern Demacia. Brill._

So my parents knew I couldn't stay in Zaun or anywhere near. More so Noxus could expose us on accident. They knew Demacia would recognize them, but it was the safest place. That's why they took me to the southern border of Demacia, in a town known as Brill.

My parents, Jay and Leticia Phyleus, named me Zac Phyleus. Their only studied skills were in science, but there was no application for their skills in Brill, outside of teaching. However they feared being exposed, so my Father apprenticed himself to a blacksmith, he was still of the age to do so and the blacksmith needed the help regardless. My mother took care of me and had a small garden-farm in the back of our house, to sell some berries at the market. They had a lot of gold with them when they came to Brill, so the house was built from those funds. Their bank in Zaun had over forty times what they brought with them, but that was all in the past now. Any leftover funds they had they hid in the basement, only to be used if they had to find a new home. Plenty was left to do so.

There was a single schoolhouse in the town where children of all ages went to learn, by now I had been able to take on a more human form: eyes, yellow as the sun; a mouth, just an indent; I didn't have hair so I made a sort of tail on my head with a purple tip; legs, with feet; arms, with hands; and a human shaped torso. I stood at half a meter above the ground.

Before I even went to school my parents taught me how to speak. They also taught me how to read, and all about mathematics. Alongside these studies they taught me about medical stuff. I learned how my body was like a self working medical device, capable of duplicating my own cells, and growing exponentially. During such lessons they became aware of my ability to injure rather than just my ability to heal. I was warned to never hurt anyone, no matter how much they may hurt me. They said it was an unfair advantage, and I have the responsibility to always be the better **man**. Honestly that idea grew on me; to always be a better **man**.

My father sat me down on the day I was to first go to school. He told me, "Now son, I know you can grow larger by absorbing matter, but you need to grow at a rate in accordance with the age you are made out to be. Each year I will allow you to grow some more, but you are forbidden from absorbing matter, unless it is to replace matter lost. For instance, you could grow infinitely and never stop, but you would destroy all matter around you to do so. Do you understand?"

"Yes father," I replied, "I won't grow unless you tell me to."

Looking back on that day, I wish my father would have given me a different sort of talk. One that had more to do with what I should expect on my first day of school.

My mother took me to my first day of school, giving me a kiss for luck. I always loved it when she gave me kisses, I still do. As I entered the schoolhouse I could hear the other children laughing and screaming as they waited for class to start. When I was inside, all of them fell silent.

"Class," Our teacher spoke out, "we have a new student joining us today, and his name is Zac Phyleus. Please make him feel welcome?"

Now normally with new students the class responds together, "Welcome (insert student name here)! But for me it was just eerie silence. And no wonder too, they were all human. But I knew I was a **man**, because my father said so, so I took my seat in silence.

Ms. Buresch was our teacher. She was a younger woman, blonde and blue eyed. Plus beautiful, I remember she was really beautiful, mostly because all the fathers of each student would linger just a little longer than they needed to, to pick up their kids.

"Alright class, we shall begin with studying Demacian Common today. Break off into your grades and practice readings appropriate to you. Zac?" I looked up at the teacher. "You are in 5th grade with Ethan, Tyler, and Lily." She pointed them out.

As I moved to get near them, Ethan and Tyler inched their desks back, but Lily pulled a desk near her and patted the seat. I wondered at the time why, but it occurred to me soon she was telling me to sit there. So I did. Out of everything that I experienced in Brill: the harsh mistreatments and verbal abuse; Lily was always fascinated by me.

"Hey, I'm Zac." I said as I sat down. "What's your names?"

Tyler huffed. "Teacher already told you idiot! Don't you got no ears?"

"He ain't got no ears, he's deaf!" Ethan cut in to say.

I could feel myself start to panic in my every cell. 'Ears?! How could I have forgotten to make ears?! Ugh, I'm an id-.'

"He looks better without them." Lily had stopped my moment of panic with what I can only refer to today as the most beautiful voice in the world. "Besides he can hear you two defile the Demacian language just fine." She said looking at Tyler and Ethan, respectively.

This girl had fire, she had strength, and she was everything I wanted to be. I would never truly know it until now, but she was more of a **man**, than I could ever hope to be.

["Whoa wait; she's a woman if anything." Riven exclaimed.

Zac smiled. "And I'm a blob, but my parents taught me a **man** is what a **man** makes of themselves, not what makes them."

Riven nodded to show she understood.]

Life as her friend was amazing, but I was in reality, and that is always a life-crusher.

During school we had a break for lunch followed by recess. I didn't need to eat, but I faked it and took in the matter. I could feel growth, but my father would handle it after school later. Recess was a nice time to get out and explore fun activities. One such activity was 'hide and seek'. All the younger children lined-up and supposedly the winner of the last game got to pick who 'it' is. Ethan was the last winner, and he picked Tyler. So we all had a hundred seconds to go hide. I tried to follow Lily, but she told me I had to find my own place to hide.

Right outside the schoolhouse was a small forest. It was thin of trees, and the children knew how far they could go out and hide. I found a tree on its side and tried to get under it, but as I did, Ethan bumped me to the side saying, "Can't hide here! It's my spot! Get lost!"

"But I was already here! Go find somewhere else!" I retorted.

Then things went downhill fast. Ethan got close to me and struck a fist out to hit me in the head. It sunk into me and I couldn't think straight so I pulled it in tight.

Ethan instantly began to panic. "G-g-get off me, freak! Let go!"

His commotion attracted other students from hiding including Lily. "Zac, stop it! Let him go!" So I did, and he fell to the ground in a loud thump.

"That freak tried to eat me! You all saw it!" Ethan bellowed, like a scared little bunny-rabbit.

But as I said, Lily was a **man**. "Shut up idiot! I find it easier to believe you hit him first and he didn't let go! That's always you Ethen! Through a punch and you're the good guy, take a punch and you're the victim! Just shut up!"

The other children had no response, but I had one. "Thanks, Lily."

Lily smiled. "No problem." She said as she approached me. "Ethan's just a big blowhard. Come on. I hate this game anyways. Let's go to the creek."

I was relieved to have her help, and I followed willingly. At the creek she splashed in the water and when she finally got me into it with her, she splashed it at me. I tried to splash back, but I was warned not to harden my extremities so it was kind of hard to get a good splash at her. For awhile we had fun, but it was fleeting.

I suppose the other children feared, respected, trusted, or a combination of all three, Ethan's word. They gathered around us at the creek, stones in hand. They each had a pile and the intent was clear. Get rid of the freak.

"Lily! Get away from that thing now!" Tyler roared, as the other children said things to that fashion as well.

"No, leave him alone!" Lily screamed back, hoping they'd just die down and leave.

They didn't.

Ethan came forward and said, "They're both freaks!" Then he threw a rock and it collided with Lily's skull. I suppose the rest took it as their queue and started to throw their own rocks. I reacted quickly and put myself like a dome over Lily. The rocks felt like nothing as they bounced off my cells. She was unconscious, I knew this, but I still felt angry that she got hurt.

I guess I snapped. I started letting the rocks pile up on my body, and when they stopped I exploded them outwards in all directions. The children fell to the ground in pain. Then I turned purple, and formed my arms into blades. I could feel the rage swell up inside me and all I could think about is cutting them all to pieces; every last one, even Ethan. I looked at him and got ready to charge. But then an angel grabbed my arm. An angel named Lily, who said, "No, your kind. Don't be a bad guy. Don't be like them." And that was it. I turned back to green and carried Lily out of the forest to safety. I never forgot what she did for me that day, and she never forgot how I almost lost it completely. I am still sorry to this day for what I almost did. I will never forget.


	5. Building Strength

**Chapter 5: Building Strength**

_South of The Ironspike Mountains and North of The Institute of War._

Riven sat inside Zac smiling at him.

"It's nice to finally see you smiling." Zac commented.

Riven kept smiling as she asked "So would you have married Elaine, or better yet why haven't you? Wait what am I saying, you're a-."

"A what?!" Zac asked in an angry tone. He caught Riven off guard, because she hasn't experienced his anger as of yet.

"Well, come on Zac. You're not human. I'm sorry I brought it up but honestly can you expect a normal life with a human. I mean…wh-what ahhh!"

Zac had unexpectedly released Riven and turned away from her. He sat there in a humanoid form.

Riven checked her wounds in panic to make sure Zac hadn't taken them off in anger. They remained, airtight. Riven sighed in relief. "Zac, wait, I didn't mean it like that."

"Then how did you mean it? Because, correct me if I am wrong here, but it sounded as if we couldn't be together because of how I look, or maybe I should just accept how I am and what I'll never be." He turned around to look at her. "Or maybe I should have never tried to be human, and should have just turned myself into a weapon." Zac turned away once again.

Riven couldn't think of words to consul him. She just stood sat there thinking about how a stranger had helped her and then befriended her and then listened and opened themselves up with little need for any sort of reimbursement, was the same stranger that she just told wasn't ever going to find his happiness. "Zac?" Zac kept his back to her. "Zac, look at me, please?" Zac craned his now-not-so-friendly face in a complete 180, sending a chill down Riven's spine. Mostly she felt the chill of night approaching, with no fire. "I'm sorry. Look I'll tell you another story of my past. Just come back here, okay?"

Zac moved over to sit next to Riven. Then Riven said, "Okay, I'll get a fire going to keep us warm and-."

"We don't need a fire for that." Zac exclaimed.

Riven looked at him confused. "What do you mean by that?"

Zac sighed as he stretched out his arms, signaling with his hands for Riven to become encased within him once more. Riven didn't like the idea so much about going back inside him, especially because he still seemed sore at her, but she did it just to help him feel better. Once back inside him he formed himself around her as he had before. She felt his cool gelatin like body encase her, then she started to feel his body get warmer and warmer.

Riven asked him, "What's going on here?"

Zac replied, still sounding tense, "I've heated the cells of my body around you to three hundred and twenty degrees Kelvin."

Riven felt great, it was perfect heat, like she was lying on a sunny beach. "You keep using that word Kelvin for temperature what does it mean?"

"I thought that stuff bored you?" Zac responded in a tired tone.

Riven was curious either way, but she still wanted to ease the tension she had caused with him. "Yeah, but tell me anyways."

Zac sighed. "Kelvin temperature measurement is the best form for temperature gauging because zero Kelvin indicates the point in which atoms stop moving. All matter moves to some form or another, even in ways humans can't see with the naked eye. Any movement at the atomic level indicates heat. Even frozen water, or ice has atoms moving inside, and if they aren't then the ice is over two hundred degrees below freezing on the Kelvin scale."

Riven didn't understand a single word, she just smiled and nodded her head at the end of each sentence.

Zac could tell. "You know what? Let's hear your story now so I can be bored."

Riven looked a little hurt, but understood why he was mad.

Zac felt like he shouldn't have to feel bad, but he did. "Look, I'm sorry. Please tell me about your past, I really want to know."

Riven was amazed about how Zac could be so powerful, yet so sweet and kind. She smiled, snuggled herself closer to Zac's head, and said, "Yeah, okay."

_Many years ago. Noxus. Military Training Grounds._

So training in the Noxus Military, while we were soldiers, wasn't really that much different then being recruits. As far as our daily routine, but now we did it at twice the pace and twice the payload of exercise, and we did it with all the other soldiers. It took a few months to adjust to it, but it made us all the stronger for it.

I think the best part was now we took food from the new recruits. Being so young, most recruits found it more dishonorable in some ways, for me to take from them. Darius however took whole trays from up to three recruits at a time. They probably thought it was honorable, but the rest of us knew he was just a greedy asshole.

Now that we new the only danger we faced was in combat, we started to make bonds with each other, my first and worst bond was with Baylar Carten. He was a nicer guy, but he had barely past the test against Draneor, so he was weak, and I was a fool for getting so close to such weakness. My best bond was with Arnet Velpen. Strength had a picture of him next to it in the dictionary. I mean physical strength. He was nearly two meters tall and over one hundred and forty kilograms of solid muscle. Be that as it may, he often told me I was way stronger. I felt like it was a cruel joke at first, but when he explained how the odds I have faced were stacked so heavily against me, I understood what he meant by strength. If anything at all, he was my friend, and the best person to hangout with, even more so spar against. Anytime I beat him it showed my strength much more than it did against others. Even I started to realize how strong I really am.

After a few years we were called into battle against isolated tribes around Noxus. Ones that High Command wanted to annex into Noxus territory. Arnet and I were called in to lead two Platoons into heavy combat.

On the day of our first battle, the fields of the lands we wished to conquer were dead silent. As many companies from Noxus moved across them, we saw the enemy come up, with no organization.

I looked at Arnet and said, "Look how weak they are, no lines, no leaders."

Arnet retorted, "Don't base their physical strength on their tactical weaknesses; we must still hold our own against them."

I nodded and held up my sword to lead my platoon forward in a fighting formation. Arnet and a few other platoon leaders followed suit and we rushed the field against them. I believe I was the first of us to connect with the enemy wave. A spear was pointed down at me, so I parried it and lanced my sword out under my first enemy's chest plate, running him to the hilt. Pulling my sword out with a solid kick I turned to fend off a glancing blow from my right, as I swung across to dig into the side of the next enemy. He fell to the ground and I jabbed my sword straight down to impale his jugular. As I pulled away from his neck I was surrounded by my own men, so I quickly rushed forward to be at the lead once more.

This is the concept to battle. Sections of the army move against one another. The leaders drive a charge forward and the rest move into the next area to take ground. I saw no leaders in the enemy lines, many stronger men, but no leaders. If we move forward it is because I do. If we move back it is because I fall in battle, or move back. But I had received no orders to retreat so I moved our platoon forward. Soon after I came to the lead, Arnet and a few other leaders had done the same. The battle was so young, but already going in our favor.

After parrying, and dodging and slashing and stabbing my way through the next section to let my men follow suit, I could already see ground behind the enemy. This indicates victory can be at hand, at least for now. Honestly it was pathetic as to how this enemy was so unorganized, I expected reinforcements to arrive in the space behind them, but there was none. After breaking my platoon through I noticed Arnet coming out from the battle to move to his right to help another platoon, so I moved left to do the same. Surprisingly none of the enemy surrendered, and they fought to the last man.

This was a shame in the end. In each platoon that dealt with the last few, they had made a game out of it. Encircling the remaining forces in isolated areas they let the last few fights becomes gladiator games as the others watched. If an enemy got to close to one part of the circle they got a few unfriendly pokes from our soldiers' swords to stay in the circle. It had turned from a battle to a gambling match as many platoon leaders had started taking bets as to how long a last standing enemy could last. I didn't participate, but the general leading us had taken part in a few bets. I found Arnet holding a bet between one of his strongest men and a completely exhausted enemy with a severed left arm.

"How can you find entertainment in this? Let him die with honor." I asked Arnet.

Arnet turned to me with a smile and said. "Ah, let 'em have their fun. They've earned it. Besides The enemies weren't soldiers."

"What?" I looked at him confused.

"Yeah, they were just the people of that tribe. That's why they had no organization. It wasn't a real military that we fought." Arnet exclaimed as he returned his attention towards the fight.

I looked around at the entire scene and realized something. If I ever had command of this military, I would never let them act so dishonorably towards a defeated enemy.

While I was reflecting on the whole of the battle, and wiping the dried blood from my sword, an aide of the general approached me with a note. On it the note read:

_Noxus High Command_

_General Note_

_Request for Summons_

_Lieutenant Riven,_

_ This is a request for your presence in front of the Noxus High Command. You are being given a great honor to reward you for your excellent service, and your incredible strength. Refusal of this summons will be seen as an insult in the eyes of The High Command and your peers. Report as soon as you have returned to Noxus, regardless of any duties you have to be apart of._

_Dictated, but not read._

_Noxus High Command_

I didn't know what to expect, but I had a feeling it would change my life forever.

[ "That was," Zac paused to find the right words, "very gory. I guess I should expect more stories like that."

Riven sighed. "Yeah, if you still want to hear more." Riven looked up into Zac's eyes, reaching her hands through him to what she assumed was his head. "Are you still mad?"

Zac formed hands to hold Riven's cheeks. "That depends; do you still think I can't build a meaningful relationship with a female human?"

Riven suddenly realized Zac wasn't talking about Elaine. "No. No Zac, I believe you can. I really do." ]


	6. Loss

**Chapter 6: Loss**

_South of The Ironspike Mountains and North of The Institute of War._

Zac was confused and excited at the same time. He couldn't understand what was happening. He didn't know why he held onto Riven's cheeks, he only knew it felt right. Hours ago she was some human in trouble, and now she was the only thought in the nucleus of every cell in his body. He could remember doing this before, but the memory made him feel terrible, so he pulled away.

Riven took a second to realize he had not just let go of her face, but what she was expecting…wait she didn't know what she was expecting to happen next, but not this. "Zac?"

Zac looked right at her, but past her really. His eyes weren't where his vision was, or at least he wasn't activating his eyes to function for vision, they were just mimics of human eyes, with no purpose anymore. He started to remember a piece of his past that reminded him about this, and he could feel depression and angst surround him.

"Zac?!" Riven started to look worried.

Zac couldn't focus, his cells were all experiencing the memories of a time long past, and for some newer cells it was as painful to get the new memories as they were when they were made. All of a sudden cells in groups starting breaking away from him, he was disintegrating in front of Riven's eyes.

"ZAC?!" Riven moved in a hurry. Instinctively she grabbed his face/head, but instead she pulled it right off the rest of his body. Now she was terrified, not about the sight of him falling apart, but because she thought he was dying. "ZAC?! ZAC WHAT'S WRONG?!" She screamed in panic.

"It's me Riven." Zac's mouth made no motion, but his voice was still speaking. "Some parts of me don't wish to know what other parts of me do know."

Riven was trying to hold Zac's face/head in her hands, but droplets kept falling off. "Zac?! Tell me what I can do! Please?!"

"There's nothing to do," Zac declared, "If they can't take the memory, then they will leave."

Riven was incredibly confused and worried. She set Zac's face/head down on the larger pile of him, which was still dividing, and started to pick up the retreating cell groups. They wouldn't stay together so she started to cradle them between her left arm and her stomach, while her free hand kept picking them up. Droplets fell off of each group she picked up. Then it came like a knife in her gut, the groupings she held had connected with the cells on her stomach wound. Blood, her blood started to mix into the cell groupings. It was coming out fast. Riven clutched her free hand on the wound, still carrying the cells she had picked up. "ZAC!"

Maybe it was the way she called him, or maybe he had some special control he could only force over his cells in emergencies. Perhaps it was something that could answer his questions about what he liked so much about holding Riven's cheeks so softly. Any way that it happened, Zac forced all of his cells to consume themselves around Riven. She was completely covered in his mass, minus her head sticking out. Then his entire cellular structure hardened like a rock around her, leaving a small soft spot just above her chest.

Riven looked around but couldn't see Zac's face. "Zac?! Zac, what's happening?!"

"The memory. Let me give it to you." Zac exclaimed.

Riven looked confused. "What?"

"I'm mostly talking to my cells." Zac's voice came from nowhere. "Listen, I'm holding myself like this to keep your wounds sealed, but even leaving your chest room to breathe is difficult to maintain. I am trying to force my cells to accept the memory, but I need your help."

Riven didn't know why, but she didn't feel like burdening him with all the questions she had. "Okay, tell me what to do!"

"I need you to experience the memory; I need to show my cells that it is alright. If they see you can handle it, then they might follow suit."

Riven was so scared of what she was being asked to do. In her head it wasn't about hearing the memory; it was about how bad a memory it could be if parts of his body are leaving him. Riven summoned all of her courage to remember how strong she is. "Do it!"

Zac probably could have been a little more direct on what he was going to do. Two streams of his goo broke from his hardened body and shot themselves up into Riven's nostrils. Riven could feel the streams as they pushed themselves along her sinuses into her brain stem. Once there they patched into her neurological pathways and started to feed electric pulses into her neurons to show her Zac's terrible memory.

_A few years ago. Brill. Elaine's house._

Maybe it was because I was just an outsider. Maybe it was because I was meant for greater things. Maybe it was because I wasn't human enough and never would be human enough to understand the subtleties of people's feelings, and then act on them. But I knew what it wasn't, standing in Elaine's doorway, hearing her tell me those words.

Let me back up to yesterday.

This was a time in my life where most humans would call themselves, young adults. The creek around Brill drops off into a small pond before it continues on its way. That's where Elaine's note had told me to meet her. My mother had got it on the door. She brought it to me when I woke, and despite how the note said she'd be there in a few hours, I ran to the pond like I had never ran before.

I had a clutch of smooth flat stones. I had found some, but it is hard to find so many after all these years, so I cheated and forged some. Father would not need to know. I'd just add it to my 'tell him one day' list.

Elaine came up from behind me, "Hey ZAC!" trying to knock me into the water. She made a habit of surprising me, but I had been ready a few hours so I made myself as soft as possible, and she fell through me, into the pond.

"HAHA!" I laughed so hard, I knew she'd fall face first into the pond, and she did. She got herself up, soaked completely, wearing a mostly white dress and looking so red in her face.

Elaine splashed me saying, "Finally learning, huh?!"

Joining in on splashing her back; that was the last good memory I had of her. I think she knew somehow it would be. I really believe that's why she called me down there, not to try and steal her away from what she would tell me tomorrow, but because she wanted to remember me like this. Not like the mass that stood in pain in front of her the next day.

This, this was the day. The day of that horrible memory.

Today the note said to come to her house. It also said not to be in a hurry. I think somewhere inside of me I didn't understand it, but I loved her, so much. I rushed over, that was my mistake.

In her doorway she stood, I only afterwards can wonder if she had intended to stand in that doorway all day, hoping I would never show. I'll never know now I guess.

I came up into her doorway; I stopped less than a foot from her. Elaine's face looked…have you ever seen someone look like they were trying way too hard to keep themselves from crying, as if they would cry if they uttered even one word? This is the face I saw in front of me, and I think it was the face she saw me make too.

I reached an arm out and she spoke. "Zac don't." I pulled back, she kept going. "I'm leaving, Zac. I have an…an…an arranged marriage in Augten. Its over fifty kilometers from here. I'm leaving today."

She said it like she had spent the last few hours trying to rehearse it. She had to say it, or better yet she had to let me hear it from her lips. Her lips, that was the only thought on my mind. I know now why, but at the time I didn't; all I wanted to do was stop those lips from trembling, somehow. I still don't know how.

I brought my hands up to grab both of her cheeks. I just felt like I needed to do that for some reason. She pulled my hands from her face, looking into my eyes. I had no words; I just shook my head as I backed away from her. OH FUCK ME! FUCK ME! FUCK ME! I WAS LEAVING HER! I WAS LEAVING IN FRIGHT WHEN I SHOULD HAVE STAYED AND FOUGHT FOR HER! FUCK ME!

As I ran from her I heard my named called in the most horrible way I could have ever imagine. "ZAC! ZAC!" She was calling me back and I ran, I didn't run home, I ran to the pond.

When I reached it I waded out into the deeper water. I knew how to swim, but I didn't want to. I hardened my body and sunk like a stone. The bottom of that pond wasn't too deep, maybe two meters, but it was dark enough for how I felt. I laid their in the wet mud for hours until my father came out and dragged me, refusing to break my hardened form, all the way home.

My parents tried to talk to me, but I disabled my audio abilities to silence their words. I just lay there all night. I didn't know what to do. I still don't. So I pushed this memory away from me, forever. Until now.

[ In the back of her mind, Riven's conscious came forward, not to drive the memory out, but to envelope it. 'Zac?' She spoke in her mind, hoping Zac would hear her.

'Yeah, I'm here. You see now why my cells don't want that memory. Help me Riven, help me drive it back down inside me. I want to hide it again.' Zac said in a desperate tone.

Riven knew that wasn't the way to fix this. 'Zac? Have you ever cried, before?'

Zac felt confused. 'I can't, I don't have tear ducts. Why are you asking me that? I need your help to hide this memory again.'

Riven could see now that Zac had never dealt with his pain before. She didn't want to, no, she really did. She started to cry.

Zac was worried now. 'Riven, what's wrong?!'

'The only thing wrong is you trying to hide it away.' Riven exclaimed. 'Feel this Zac, connect with me and feel this. This is what you need to do. Don't hide from it. Cry about it Zac, let it out.' Riven opened her eyes and said, "Show me your face; see me cry for you. Let the pain wash over and away from you."

Zac formed his face/head in front of Riven. "What…what are you doing, stop?! I need to hide it! It's too much!"

Riven shook her head. "No, no, let it out. You don't need tears to cry, Zac. Just cry with me. It will be alright."

Zac's body started to form a human shape once more, but Riven's Zac-bandages stayed tight. He let his head rest on her bosom so he could…cry. Tearless sobs escaped his form. The two of them cried, to let Zac embrace the memory and deal with the pain.

After some time, Riven pulled his face/head up to look at her. "This is what Elaine needed back then." Riven gave Zac a kiss. ]


	7. Stopping For Repairs

**Chapter 7: Stopping For Repairs**

_South of The Ironspike Mountains and North of The Institute of War._

A complex swirl of emotions filled each and every cell that made up Zac. Like the world was his, now and forever. He moved his hands up and around Riven's head to link them together behind her neck. Little strands of him started combing through her hair as he continued to hold her in for this moment. He felt like… if this was life, then he'd want it to be like this forever.

Zac finally let her go. Riven looked into his eyes smiling. "Your lips are smooth as glass, yet soft like syrup, and to be honest…I kind of knew what to expect of a first kiss with a human," Zac looked at her with dismay, "**but**, but I'm happy to have kissed you first." Riven put on a tiny, little embarrassed grin.

Zac's face made a smile wider than his actual head. It forced Riven to giggle at its sight. Then Zac started 'thinking' a whole lot. "So, what is this-?"

Riven placed her left hand over his mouth. "Don't over-think this Zac, it is what it is."

Zac nodded and leaned back into Riven, lips pursed. Riven shook her head with a smile and leaned back into Zac. It can't be said for sure if they did this until they fell asleep and well into the night, because Zac doesn't actually sleep so he just kept doing it in her sleep. The real question would be: If Zac did keep his lips on hers all night, what crazy shit did Riven dream about?

Morning came, to Riven, in a rush. Her eyes opened, having just been at the end of her dream about kissing Zac outside a cottage, that she had spent the whole dream in. But Zac wasn't there. Riven shot up to look around, checking to see if the Zac-bandages were still on her, they were, but Zac was nowhere to be seen. "Zac! Zac, where are you?!" Riven called out. No answer.

Riven stood up, feeling her wounds tingle a little as the Zac-bandages adjusted to her standing up. She kept looking around, but he was gone. "Zac! Zac!" She cursed herself. In her head she exclaimed, 'Oh fuck me! What did I do wrong?! I thought he…! I thought we…! Agh! C'mon Zac, where are you?!'

"Six o'clock high!" Riven heard Zac say, but had no idea what he meant as she turned around. "Look up!" Zac spoke again, but this time Riven noticed him in the air coming down fast. He was a big green ball sailing through the air and down at her. "Don't move! I won't hit you, I promise!" Riven felt stupid for doing it, but she stayed still, closing her eyes and praying Zac knew what he was doing. "Okay, nevermind…take a step to the left quick!" Riven took one side-step to the left. "No! Not your left, my left!" Riven decided she had enough and just jumped to her right as hard as her feet could push her. Zac came down next to her, almost clipping her feet as she was in the air.

Riven rolled and got to her feet. "What in the fuck is your problem?!" She roared, smacking the dirt from her clothes and armor.

Zac reformed his human-like appearance. "Nothing, sorry. I was just having fun. If you weren't then I'm sorry." Zac tried to look as apologetic as he could.

"I thought you were gonna-. What…what are those?" Riven had just noticed a colorful grouping of flowers in Zac's left hand. Many of the flowers were picked twice and some had the roots still attached, dirt clots and all.

Zac held out the hand picked bouquet of flowers. "I picked them for you. I went out as the Sun was about to rise."

Riven smiled at him. She was amazed by how he had such a big heart. To go out and find flowers to give to her. She thought it was sweet. "They look nice, but I'm really not the flower type. Sorry." Zac held his head and arms down, sulking. "No Zac, its okay. Here I'll take 'em."

"It's okay I-." Zac stopped himself short without another word as he turned towards Riven's shattered sword. He picked it up and started looking at it meticulously.

Riven held her hands up. "Zac! Be careful with that!" She moved towards him to try and grab the sword but he pulled back to keep her from doing so.

It can't be said for sure what was going on in his head. Was he angry at her, like he'd hit her with her own sword? Did he want to destroy it in anger because she didn't like the flowers? Some serious thoughts pooled together in the individual nuclei of his cells and he started latching parts of himself onto the sword.

"Zac! Stop! What are you doing?!" Riven said, beckoning him to put it down. She began to worry, but didn't quite know what to be worried about yet.

But Zac kept going. Chunk after chunk of his body started to build itself onto the sword. He looked up at Riven. "Do you trust me?"

Riven looked at him, then her blade, then him again. "Sort of." She at least wanted to; if not for herself, than for him. She had just made something with him, and she really wanted to keep it.

Zac gave her a tiny smirk. "Then grab a hold of my cells on your sword. Right here," He pointed to a specific spot where the back of her shattered sword met the cells from his body, "with the hand that you don't draw your sword with." Riven placed her left hand on the back of the sword, over Zac's cells. "Now take hold of your sword, next to my hand." Riven did just that with her right hand.

Riven was amazed and perplexed. "What are you doing?"

Zac made a huge grin and exclaimed, "If you're not the flower type, then I have to assume you're the weapon type. After that I got nothing left, so I hope you like this." As the chunks of his body stopped forming onto the sword an incredible thing happened. They coalesced into a blade that fit perfectly into the jagged parts of the actual sword. "Okay now say, 'Blade Off!'"

Riven didn't get it. Mostly because she was amazed about how the blade fit so well and looked so solid. "Blade Off!" She commanded. The solid blade that was attached to her shattered sword started to be drawn to her left hand and swirled around her arm to form a backpack shape on her back. "Sweet fuck!" Riven exclaimed.

"Yeah cool, right?" Zac asked her. "Now say, 'Blade On!'"

Riven was made busy with trying to catch a glance over her shoulder of the Zacpack. "Uh…Blade On!"

Zac shook his head. "No, no, while you hold the sword where I showed you."

Riven grabbed the back of her shattered sword and said, "Blade On!" The Zacpack followed the same route back to the sword to reform a blade. "Zac! This is amazing!" Riven looked so happy.

Zac started to smile. "So you like it?!"

"I love it!" Riven exclaimed. She started to spin it around and slash with it. "Its just like it was before-." Riven stopped slashing. She held her arms down with the sword touching the ground.

Zac noticed something was wrong. Honestly for a guy it is really hard, but this was pretty obvious. "What's wrong? Did I make it wrong? If you're worried about breaking it, don't, it's tougher than steel. I commanded my cells to become solid carbon when they form the blade. That's what diamonds are made of. It won't ever get dull either. Riven? What's wrong?"

Riven looked up at Zac with a glum face. "Zac, that sounds absolutely amazing. Thank you. But it's not about how you made it for me. I love it. Its how it looks so much like it did before I broke it."

Zac looked confused. "That's not good?"

"No Zac," Riven shook her head, "that's not good."

Zac silently cursed himself for not being able to bring joy to Riven. Mostly because he inadvertently brought up her past. "I can disable it, or make it look different."

Riven figuratively wiped her sadder face off and put on a smile. "No way, Zac. I love it the way it is." Then she strode up and pulled his head down to her level to give him a kiss. "I really do."

Zac smiled. "Then I am happy to be of service."

Riven started waving her Zac-bladed sword again. "So it's like a diamond, huh?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't try to sell it. Real diamonds have value for their purity." Zac said chuckling to the amusement of his own joke.

Riven looked a little hurt. "No Zac, I wouldn't try to sell it, I-." Then she finally caught on to the joke. "You know what; I think it might be worth a little more than a real diamond. Maybe I should check with a jeweler for a better opinion." Riven shot Zac a smirk.

On the sword itself; a smooth, glass-like, opaque, green blade fit snugly into the jagged edges of the shattered sword. The blade was so pristine, because of Zac's cells, that as Riven held it in a way to reflect the light she realized it: one, was really a matte green color; two, had no flaws, just smooth carbon; and three, she realized that it felt like no weight had actually been added.

Zac let her play for awhile, as he collected his thoughts. His biggest thought was, 'What about the blade reminded her of her past?' of which he had to know. After a few minutes his curiosity started to boil over, so he approached her. "Riven?"

Riven stopped to look at Zac. "Yeah?"

Zac didn't know how to ask it nicely, so he did it bluntly, "Why did seeing your sword remade, make you feel bad?"

Riven realized that this was it. 'I either tell him now, and hope he doesn't think less of me. Or I don't tell him, and can't ever get him to fully trust me.' Riven looked into Zac's eyes and said, "What will you think of me, when I finish telling you?"

Zac looked at her with soft eyes and said, "What do you fear I will think? Because to me I can't think of a way to better know you than to know everything about you, no matter what it is."

Riven could feel an urge creep up in her face to cry, so she shrugged it off, and broke eye contact with him. "I just found you. Someone who's kind. Some who's strong. Someone who has the courage to do the right thing, even when they don't have to. Someone I feel like my life would be safe in their hands, which you've proven so much already. Someone who can see the good in life. Someone who…likes me. I just don't want to chase you away." Her eyes met his again.

Zac paused to take in her words. He stood there for a moment without any expression, which started to worry Riven a little. Then without warning he stretched out his arms to pull Riven up close to him. Riven looked into his eyes as he spoke the words she would remember all of her life. "If you ask me to hold on, and not let go, then I will do just that."

That was it for her. She couldn't hold back another second. Riven buried her head into Zac's gooey mass and let the tears pour out. When she had cried more than she had wanted to, she pulled back to say, "Okay, I'll tell you. But hold me, and don't let go."


	8. What's Past Will Last

**Chapter 8: What's Past Will Last**

_South of The Ironspike Mountains and North of The Institute of War._

Zac looked deep into Riven's eyes. "Tell me, and I promise I won't let go."

Riven had never planned on telling anyone about her past. Even exposing herself to the Institute of War, which she knew she would've been forced to do, was something she had hoped she wouldn't.

Riven looked back into Zac's eyes, and gripped him tight saying, "Okay, I believe you." And she really did.

_Several years ago. Noxus. Noxian High Command._

I had been summoned to the Noxian High Command. I went before them with the worry that they would see me as unfit, because for someone at my rank to go there, it is usually for a dishonorable discharge. It would mean certain death. Not because they would kill me, but because I would no longer have a place to exist inside Noxus.

When I went inside I was greeted by a squad of armored men who checked me for weapons before leading me into the High Command Grand Hall. Once there I saluted the stand until the members of High Command came in to take their seats.

The leader, Grand General Boram Darkwill, called out to me. "Lieutenant Riven. You have been brought here today for a special purpose. We have looked over your abilities as a soldier of Noxus and decided to bestow upon you a mighty glory. Do you accept this responsibility?"

"I do, sir!" I was so incredibly honored.

Two guards walked out of a door, carrying a large object wrapped in cloth and rope. Darkwill talk as they brought it before me. "This is a Black Stone Rune Sword forged and enchanted with Noxian sorcery. It will be yours to fight as a model of Noxian combat perfection." The soldiers uncovered it before me. It was a large black sword with etched in symbols that glowed green. The sword was almost as broad as a kite shield and equally its weight.

I picked it up with one hand and felt its power surge within me. "I will carry this sword with honor. For Noxus, only the strong will prevail!"

"Only the strong will prevail!" Everyone else in the room repeated.

Darkwill signaled for a man to approach me. "This is Barcass Downscythe, he will be your instructor on how to use this weapons properties effectively."

Barcass Downscythe looked at me like he was staring into my soul. "In no time I will force you to master this sword."

I nodded. And that was it; I followed Barcass straight out of there and into his training area. It was a barn next to a stable, but the stable was filled with dummies and some different kinds of training equipment.

Barcass came right up to me and said, "Let me see how you wield that thing." He drew his sword and slashed out at me. I parried it and swung it around to strike a cleaving blow at his waist. As he backpedaled I could hear the wind whip apart around the giant sword. It was an incredibly stimulating sound. "So, it seems we have found you a weapon that pairs well with your great strength. I have a feeling you will find this training very enjoyable, but keep in mind I will not be making it easy either way."

I nodded and charged him for more. Over and over I move the giant sword around like it was an extension of my body, but I came into difficulties with undercuts because there wasn't room for me to bring the sword down.

"Jump! You have to jump to bring that sword up from under you. If you don't your enemy will use that as a weakness against you. Jump!"

So as I jumped I started to incorporate my fighting style with the act of being completely off my feet. It was debilitating at first to control my fighting style without the constant use of the ground. But I found that giving the giant sword more maneuverability hed left no windows open to be struck.

When we stopped he told me, "This weapon is meant to be used with wind style fighting, and is powered through your Ki. Ki is an energy force that you either have, or don't have. Its power is completely dependent on you and only your strength can retain its amount. You have it; it is why you are so strong. It is why you were given that sword. Now, focus on your inner strength, it will guide your Ki." I thought about all the strength I know I have as I held the sword up for an attack. "Now let it out, but do not strike, just allow it to flow!" I urged myself, like I do when I strike, but I didn't move. I watched my strength course into the sword, and I let it fly free without moving a muscle. My Ki burst out in all directions, it was amazing to witness. "Now, focus that energy again, but this time shoot it behind you as you move forward." I pushed my strength into my sword once more and then pulled it behind me as I leapt forward, it was astounding, I move at an incredible speed forward for as long as the Ki pulsed out of me. I must have gone ten meters in an instant. "Stupendous, now do it again but this time keep it on your sword and let it escape only on your strike." As I filled my sword again I brought it up and down to impact the ground. It went through the dirt like a knife through butter. I felt so much joy I did it again, and again, but this time it shot out Ki in a burst forward ripping ground I hadn't even struck. "You are a fast learner, but this last move will be your most difficult. Stand over by one of the dummies." I lined myself up to one of them. "Now, force your sword full of your Ki strength once more. Keep filling it until you feel you cannot contain it anymore." I started out slow, but felt the power surge in my sword. It was a horrific amount of Ki that filled the weapon. It glowed so bright, as I started to feel it get away from me. "Good! Now slash it out at the dummy ahead of you! Let the Ki flow in one huge wave." I hefted the sword up, it was either heavier now, or I had put so much Ki strength into it that it was harder to control. Whatever made it heavier didn't make it less effective. As I brought it down to slash out at the dummy a wave of energy exploded out and destroyed the dummy, as well as the ones positioned on each side of it. "Wonderful! These are the moves for your weapon, and they will function with the sword as long as you have the Ki to use them. You will practice these techniques until you collapse each and every day, until you are no longer collapsing before sundown. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" I replied. And so it began. For the next two weeks I tirelessly trained with the sword to perfect my techniques. On the last two days I was lasting far into the night and Barcass decided to inform High Command that I was ready, but I didn't even know what that meant until a few days after I had completed training.

The call came in to every regular soldier at once; Noxus was going to war with Ionia.

[ Zac kept hold of Riven as he pulled back a little to look her straight in the eyes. "You were involved in that?"

Riven's eyes grew wide. "Yes! I was in the military, so I was involved. Zac…you're worrying me. If you're like this for knowing I was apart of that, I feel like you're going to let go of me when I tell you the rest!"

In his head, Zac realized that this was exactly what he expected, but more? He didn't know if he could handle more. "I…I…I'm not going anywhere Riven, I promised."

"Yeah but you looked like you were about to run away…I..." Riven couldn't find any words to even comfort herself.

Zac grabbed Riven's chin with his right hand. "I promised, you can keep going."

Riven gave him a little smile. ]

I suppose you know most of the story, so here is my part.

I had been promoted to Captain and placed in charge of a company. Shon-Xan was our deployment location. We were sent there to drive the Ionian forces back, and take out any resistance, of any sort. Casualties amongst the civilian populations were unspeakable. We had destroyed rather than conquered their land, besides the constant push in the battlefield; I had a second set of orders that were oddly specific about what I was supposed to do.

My specific place amongst the army was to push in a direct line towards an Ionian sword school of incredible importance to Noxus High Command. Zaunite forces committed horrific attacks on the people of Ionia. They used acid to melt the bodies of our enemies with the intent on clearing a path for each step of the invasion. It was chemical warfare, and I found it disgraceful.

Upon reaching the Ionia sword school, my orders indicated that a master of the school would be their protecting a high value target. But as we entered the surrounding area, we found common resistance instead of the kind in the orders. The orders clearly stated that I was the only one permitted to enter the school grounds. So I ordered my men to hold up a defensive position around it as I went in.

Once inside I pulled out my orders to match the picture to the looks of the target. Surprisingly enough he was the only one there. He stood alone in the courtyard, this old, old man. My orders were to kill him, but despite his frail state my orders said it was absolutely critical that I used my Wind Slash technique to kill him. I felt it was overkill, but I charged my Ki for it anyways.

He had his back turned from me, and then as I was ready to strike he spoke. "Is this what it means to have strength young warrior?"

I hesitated at his words. "What…what do you mean?"

He pointed out to the chaos in the rest of Shon-Xan. "You take these lands and kill these people. But do you do it with your strength or with your weakness?"

I felt confused. "Look at me! What are you talking about?!"

He shook his head. "I will not accept death by your weakness whilst I face you. You must kill me as my back is turned."

I was angry, what was this old man going on about? "Face me and die like a soldier!"

"But I am not a soldier, and neither are you. You are a weak assassin. And you must kill me when my back is turned."

I didn't understand what was happening. "I'm not weak! Face me!" My sword was charged with Ki, I could do it anytime, but I couldn't. I was frozen with despair. "I…I…I know it isn't strength we use to fight this war, but we are still called to do our duty."

He turned to face me, eyes closed. "The fact that you can see and accept this for yourself tells me you are not weak. You may strike me now." He opened his eyes and smiled. I brought my sword down, striking him dead.


End file.
